2000
#110,523
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 148
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Lettie
Possibly derived from Letitia, a Latin name meaning joy or gladness.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Lettie. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lettie surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Lettie in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lettie, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Black (2.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lettie
The surname Lettie is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "laetig," which means "guide" or "leader." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who was a guide or leader in their community.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lettie can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Letty" and "Letti," indicating that the spelling was not yet standardized.
In the 13th century, the name Lettie was associated with several landowners in the county of Yorkshire. One notable individual was John Lettie, who was born in 1245 and owned substantial estates in the village of Thornton. His descendants continued to use the surname for several generations.
During the Renaissance period, the name Lettie gained some prominence in the literary world. In 1592, a play titled "The Tragedy of Lettie" was published in London, although the author's identity remains unknown. This suggests that the name was familiar enough to be used as a character in a theatrical production.
In the 17th century, the name Lettie appeared in various historical records, including church registers and court documents. One notable figure was Thomas Lettie, born in 1638, who was a merchant and landowner in the city of Bristol. He was involved in trade with the American colonies and played a role in the development of the city's economy.
Another individual of note was Elizabeth Lettie, born in 1674, who was a renowned botanist and herbalist. She authored several books on the medicinal properties of plants and was highly regarded for her knowledge of natural remedies.
The surname Lettie also has ties to the aristocracy. In the 18th century, there was a noble family known as the Letties of Cheshire, who traced their lineage back to the Norman conquest of England. One member of this family, Sir William Lettie, born in 1712, served as a Member of Parliament and was known for his advocacy of agricultural reforms.
Throughout its history, the surname Lettie has been associated with various professions, including merchants, landowners, scholars, and politicians. While it may not be a widespread name today, it holds a rich legacy that reflects the diverse experiences of those who carried it across the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lettie
Among Census respondents with the surname Lettie, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Black (2.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Lettie bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Lettie surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 107
- Black or African American2.6% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.6% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lettie
Lettie appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-31 bearers (-20.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 31,585 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,162 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #110,523 | 148 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | -31 bearers (-20.9%) | Down 31,585 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 2,162 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Lettie surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #142,108 | #144,270 | -1.5% |
| Count | 117 | 117 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lettie bearers went from 117 to 117 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 2,162 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #144,270.
FAQ
Lettie surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lettie?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Lettie. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Lettie?
Lettie ranks #144,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 117 people with the surname Lettie. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Lettie.
Has Lettie become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lettie went from 117 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #142,108 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Lettie?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lettie, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Black (2.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Lettie in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lettie appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Black (2.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Lettie (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Lettie mean?
Possibly derived from Letitia, a Latin name meaning joy or gladness. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Lettie (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Lettie?
You can see how many people have the last name Lettie on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.